PHILADELPHIA – At the Penn Lightbulb Café on Tuesday, Feb. 28, Jessica McCrory Calarco, a Ph.D. candidate in sociology in Penn’s School of Arts and Sciences, will discuss her research about the correlation between socioeconomic class and children’s seeking help in the classroom. 

The free lecture series takes discussions about the arts, humanities and social sciences out of the classroom for a night on the town.

Starting at 6 p.m. at Drinker’s West, 39th and Chestnut streets, Calarco will discuss her study, “’I Need Help!’ Social Class and Children’s Help-Seeking in Elementary School,” which shows that middle-class children ask their teachers for help more often and more assertively than working-class children and, in doing so, receive more support and assistance from teachers.

Calarco will also discuss how these children learn whether and how to ask for help at school, in part, through the training that they receive from their parents at home.  

The Café will take place in the mezzanine of Drinkers West. A pub menu and beer, wine and spirits will be available for purchase.

Previous Lightbulb Cafes have featured Penn religious studies professor Anthea Butler interpreting politicians' religious rhetoric, sociology professor David Gibson presenting a behind-the-scenes look at the Cuban missile crisis talks and history of art professor Michael Meister discussing the difficulties cultural-monuments researchers encounter in war-torn Pakistan.

Seating is limited. Reservations are encouraged by contacting Gina Bryan at 215-898-8721 or bryangm@upenn.edu.